“It was a lovely event last night,” wrote Jini Clare when she sent photos from The Education Center Kids Best Friend Benefit and Award Dinner. “Pat Pradel gave a heart-moving speech that had Cynthia and others in tears.”
Original Post Aug. 21, 2014 / Kids’ Best Friend Awards Event will honor Mayor and Mrs. George Pradel, Tom Miers as well as Vilma Paus and Bill Paus
At this year’s Kids’ Best Friend Benefit and Awards Dinner, The Education Center will honor five local leaders who are dedicated to the well-being of children and families. The individuals’ positive impact on the youth in our community has been significant. Awards will be presented at The Education Center’s annual Kids’ Best Friend Benefit on Fri., Oct. 17, in the Lisle/Naperville Hilton Grand Ballroom.
2014 Awards Recipients
- Kids’ Best Friend Award – Tom Miers, President, Naperville Bank and Trust
- Business Leader Award – Bill and Vilma Paus, Braconi’s Restaurant and Pizzeria
- A new award, the George and Pat Pradel Humanitarian Award, has been established, and Mayor A. George Pradel and Pat Pradel, his wife, will be honored as the first recipients.
“We are excited to honor our 2014 award winners,” said Dr. Michael Litow, founder and executive director of The Education Center. “George and Pat Pradel have done so much for children for the past 54 years, including being foster parents, working with our youth as Officer Friendly, helping to create Safety Town, and supporting families and children in every way they can – as Naperville’s mayor and as private citizens.
“Tom Miers has made enormous contributions to our youth through his service on numerous boards and through his support of youth programs as a local bank executive.”
Litow continued, “We are also proud to honor our business leaders, Bill and Vilma Paus, who included service to the community as part of their business plan. Since opening Braconi’s Restaurant in 2005, they have supported youth sports teams, donated pizzas to nonprofits, partnered with local schools, and sponsored fund-raisers for our military and numerous organizations.”
The Education Center, located in Naperville, is a nationally recognized children’s organization that has been helping kids succeed in school and in life for 35 years. With a 97 percent success rate of graduating students who are diagnosed as learning disabled and underachievers, The Education Center offers area families a place of hope and help. The annual Kids’ Best Friend benefit directly supports the many programs of The Education Center.
Ticket Info
Members of the community are invited to join The Education Center in honoring award winners. Tickets to the Kids’ Best Friend Benefit and Award Dinner on Oct. 17 are $125 per person and include a cocktail reception, dinner and dancing. The reception begins at 5:30PM at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville.
For more information about The Education Center or to purchase tickets, contact the center at (630) 420-7807. The Education Center is located at 113 East Van Buren in Naperville.
Submitted by Jini Clare
